Battersby's caecilian

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Battersby’s caecilian (Indotyphlus battersbyi) is a slender, worm-like amphibian found only in the Western Ghats of India. Its flesh-coloured body makes it look like a large earthworm. The eyes are hidden under the skin and barely visible. It has no noticeable tail, ending in a blunt shield. The vent is transverse (runs across the body) rather than longitudinal.

It measures about 17 to 23.8 cm long. This species is found in the Western Ghats in Maharashtra and Kerala. It is known from Sanjay Gandhi National Park and may also occur in Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary and Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary.

Conservation status is Data Deficient, meaning there isn’t enough information to know how it is doing. The population is not well known, and potential threats could include changes in land use for farming, wood and timber extraction, road construction, agrochemical pollution, and fires.

Battersby’s caecilian is named in honor of James Clarence Battersby, a British Museum herpetologist who worked there for 45 years.